While the Boys Are Away...

 Mom and The Kids (+ a Meme) will play!  Matt had the opportunity to go to Destin with a group of friends for a golf trip the last week of summer break.  The guys left on Wednesday afternoon and would return on Saturday. I decided to take a vacation day that Thursday to take the kids to Holiday World.  It was the only weekday Karson didn't have volleyball practice (7th grade orientation was that night).  With school rearing it's ugly head, we knew this would be our last opportunity to go.  Shannon, her kids and Mamaw Vicky went too.  It was nice having both grandmas there - extra eyes are nice.  However, our kids are so independent at this point, there isn't much "watching" them which meant the grandmas got to sit and visit most of the time.

 

  Miles bravery level still isn't where the other four kids are at - roller coasters and thrill rides aren't for him.  He still enjoys the smaller, kid rides and of course, the water rides.  I had to part ways with the group for the beginning of the day so he could ride the less frightening rides =).

I'm certain Miles would spend most of his time riding the Raging Rapids.

 Holiday World's best feature is the water park.  Once we all got in our swimsuits, the older kids headed straight for the Mammoth. Miles and I headed over to the Splashland.  The day was overcast which was nice for the main park but made it rather chilly in the water park.  We still had a fun time, and I even managed to get Miles on the Jungle Racer.  I was surprised he wanted to do it since it's about 5 stories high (toboggan style lanes on mats).  We did it, and he loved it - but only wanted to do it that one time which was fine with me since I was freezing.  The older kids resurfaced about 2 hours later - it takes that long for the Mammoth.  They wanted to do the Zinga but opted out when they realized the line was almost an hour.  We headed over to Bakuli and the lazy river and closed our water park time at Kima Bay.  The kids were looking blue by this point but still having a blast.

 

We went to Thanksgiving Land so the girls could ride the Voyage coaster and all of us could ride the Gobbler Getaway.  Dippin' Dots were a must by this point in our day.

 

After the show, the girls wanted to ride the Legend roller coaster.  Isaac wanted to go with them but didn't want to ride.  Miles was ready to go over to Holidog Funland, and Evan and the grandmas had a hunkering for some funnel cakes.  We all parted ways We wore our camp shirts so we could easily spot our crew.  However, they are all inseparable anyway. We wanted to slow our pace and check out a show so we headed over to the REAL COUNTRY show.  The kids sat on the first two rows.  We sat a little further back =).

 After the show, the girls were wanting to go back to the Legend roller coaster to ride it again.  Isaac wanted to tag along but didn't want to ride.  Shannon was going to go check on times for the DIVE show.  Miles was ready for Holidog Funland, and the grandmas and Evan were wanting some funnel cakes.  We all parted ways again. On the way to Funland, we passed one of those basketball shooting vendors.  Miles had been begging for a chance to play and since we were wrapping up our day, I thought...why not?  I paid $5 for him to get two shots.  They were nice enough to let him stand on the counter - it's quite a distance to the goal.  He barely missed the first show and swished the second shot.  YAY!  He won a ball and selected the UK one.  We headed over to Funland, him dribbling the whole time.  He was proud.  When Isaac showed up at Funland, he was wanting to play one of the vendor games too.  I told him I wasn't going to pay money for a cheap prize and told him he could try for a basketball too.  We headed over to the stand.  I was super nervous.  No mom wants to see her child disappointed, but Miles shoots ball ALL.DAY.LONG.  He's got a "money" shot.  Isaac shoots occasionally.  Fingers and toes crossed, we stepped up to the counter and paid our $5.  I told the clerk that the last person had let my younger son stand up on the counter and asked if Isaac could too.  He said, "let him take a shot first and we'll see."  He took a shot and didn't get very close, so he allowed him to stand on the counter and shoot.  He hit the rim of the first shot, and thankfully, they gave him one more shot, and he nailed it.  Whew!  He loves Indiana and picked out a Hoosiers ball.  I was tickled both boys won bballs.  It was the perfect end to our day.  We headed back home late that afternoon.  It was the perfect end to our summer.